ISU MODULE
LEA 111- POLICE HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION
1. Title of the Module
Chapter I. History and development of Law Enforcement
2. Introduction
This chapter presents the overview of the historical background and development of policing
system in the world.
3. Learning outcome
At the end of the topic, the students are expected to:
Discuss the origin of the word Police
Explain the theories and concept of police service
Discuss the early and modern policing system and how it was developed in the world
4. Learning content
Chapter I. History and Development of Law Enforcement
ORIGIN OF THE WORD “POLICE”
The word police originated from the Greek word “politeia” which means government of a city or civil
organization and the state. The term used to describe a group of civil officers governing the city.
When the Romans conquered the Greeks, they changed the word slightly to “politia”. During the reign of the
French, they changed the word to “police” and used it to describe authorized people who actually enforce the law.
The English and Americans borrowed the word from the French and used it to describe a law enforcement officer.
THEORIES OF POLICE SERVICE
1) HOME RULE THEORY
- policemen are regarded as servants of the community, who rely for the efficiency of their functions
upon the express needs of the people
- policemen are civil servants whose key duty is the preservation of public peace and security
2) CONTINENTAL THEORY
- policemen are regarded as state or servants of the higher authorities
- the people have no share or have little participation with the duties nor connection with the police
organization
CONCEPTS OF POLICE SERVICE
1) OLD CONCEPT
- police service gives the impression of being merely a suppressive machinery
- this philosophy advocates that the measurement of police competence is the increasing number of
arrests, throwing offenders in detention facilities rather than trying to prevent them from committing
crimes
2) MODERN CONCEPT
- regards police as the first line of defense of the criminal justice system, an organ of crime prevention
- police efficiency is measured by the decreasing number of crimes
- broadens police activities to cater to social services and has for its mission the welfare of the individual
as well as that of the community in general
EARLY POLICING SYSTEM
1) KIN POLICING
- the family of the offended individual was expected to assume responsibility for justice
- the family of the victim was allowed to exact vengeance
2) EGYPT
- ancient rulers had elite unit to protect them
- created the MEDJAYS, a form of police force whose duties include guarding of the tombs and apprehending
thieves
- introduced the use of dogs as guards and protectors
3) ROME
- created the first organized police force called VIGILES OF ROME, or VIGILES URBANI (watchmen of
the city), which had the primary task of firefighting and policing
- the Vigiles acted as night watch, apprehending thieves, keeping an eye out for burglars and hunting down
runaway slaves, and were on occasion used to maintain order in the streets
- the Vigiles dealt primarily with petty crimes and looked for disturbances of the peace while they patrolled the
streets
- created a special unit called PRAETORIAN GUARDS, a special force of guards used by Roman Emperors
as the Emperors' personal guards
- as personal guards of the Emperor, their primary duty was to protect the Emperor from assassination and other
forms of attack against the Emperor
4) ENGLAND
4.1 ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD
a. Frankpledge (mutual pledge)- under this system, every male over 12 years old join 9 of his neighbor to form
a tithingmen who are tasked to apprehend any person who offends another and delivers him for trial.
- members of the tything are called a TYTHINGMEN
- a CONSTABLE served as a leader of ten tythings
- the primary task of the things was to protect their village from thieves and animals
- tythings were later organized into SHIRES
- a shire was headed by a leader called SHIRE REEVE, which is the origin of the word
“sheriff”
b.
c. Tun Policing- tun was the forerunner of the word town in which all male residents were required to guard the
town to preserve peace.
d. Hue and cry- a system of apprehending criminals whereby a complainant goes to the middle of the
community and shouts to call all male residents to assemble and arrest the suspect.
e. Royal judge- started the identification of criminals through criminal investigation and giving punishment.
f. Trial by ordeal- a system of determining guilt of a suspect by undergoing an ordeal such as placing his hand
in boiling water, not having been hurt means that he is innocent, otherwise, he is guilty.
g. Thanes Policing System – it was introduced by King Alfred the great where landowners acted as the internal
police of their own territory having the power to arrest offenders and settle civil litigations.
4.2 NORMAN PERIOD
a. Shire Reeve System- England was divided into 55 military districts known as shire-reeve. Shire was the
district while reeve was the ruler. It was the forerunner of the word sheriff.
b. Traveling judge- responsible in hearing cases taken from the shire reeve due to some abuses. It was the
forerunner of circuit trial court judge.
c. Legis Henrie (Henry)- a law enacted which classified offenses against the king and the individuals, made
policemen public officials, empowered police and citizens to conduct arrest and assigned grand jury to inquire
on facts of law.
d. Magna Carta- document sealed by King John of England that became law upon the demand of the knights of
the round table which stated that no freeman shall be imprisoned except by legal judgment, no person shall be
tried of murder unless there is proof of the body of the victim and that there shall be a national and local
government and legislation.
4.3 WESTMINSTER PERIOD
a. statute of Winchester
It was enacted for law and order
It introduces the watch and ward system
b. statute of 1295
This initiated the closing of the gates of London during sunset
It stated the observation of the curfew hours
c. Justice of the peace
This was a position given to the respected civilians to have the power to arrest, pursue, and imprison
offenders.
d. Star Chamber Court
Initially established as a special court that tried offenders against the state
Later, became both a court of law to determine civil rights and a court of revenue to enrich treasury
MODERN POLICING SYSTEM
1) ENGLAND
a) BOWSTREET RUNNERS
a group of men organized to arrest offenders
organized by Henry Fielding, a magistrate in London, in 1749 in London, England
the name was adopted from the name of the street where the office of Henry Fielding was
located
when Henry Fielding retired as magistrate, he was replaced by his blind brother, John
Fielding
b) METROPOLITAN POLICE ACT of 1829
the law that created the first modern police force in London, England, called the Metropolitan
Police Service
this law was passed through the initiative of Sir Robert Peel, a member of the Parliament
the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service is the Scotland Yard, now known as
the New Scotland Yard
SIR ROBERT PEEL - recognized as the father of modern policing system
The following Principles considered by Peel in organizing and administering the Scotland Yard:
1. A Stable, effective civil police should be under government control.
2. Absence of crime is the best proof of efficiency.
3. Fast distribution of news to the police is essentials.
4. Proper distribution of personnel according to shift and by the hour.
5. Best qualification of peace officer is control of temper.
6. Proper selection and training are the basis of efficiency of the police.
7. Police cannot function properly without the wholehearted support of the public.
8. Police must sell himself to the public.
9. Police must go out of his way to help or assist the people.
The following are the Rules of Action enunciated by Peel:
1. “Prevention of Crime is the Basic Mission of the Police”.
2. “Police must have the Full Respect of the Citizenry”.
3. “A Citizen’s Respect for Law Develops his respect for the police”.
4. “Cooperation of the Public Decreases as the Use of Force Increases”.
5. “Police Must Render Impartial Enforcement of the Law”.
6. “Physical Force is Used Only as the Last Resort”.
7. “The Police are the Public and the Public are the Police”.
8. “The Police Represent the Law”.
9. “The Absence of Crime and Disorder is the Test of Police Efficiency”.
2) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
a) NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT
- created in 1845 in New York, USA
- recognized as the first modern style police department in the US
- the largest police force in the world
- modeled after the Metropolitan Police Service of London
b) BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
- the oldest police department in the US
- the first night watch was established in Boston in 1631
- formally founded in May, 1854
AUGUST VOLLMER
- recognized as the Father of Modern Law Enforcement for his contributions in the development of the field
of criminal justice in the US
- author of the book, Police Administration, which served as the basic guide in the administration of the police
organization in the US
- was the first police chief of Berkeley, California
